The meat butchering industry is continually searching for systems and methods that optimize the meat cutting process. Extracting the greatest monetary value from a carcass or subprimal is a major goal of the industry. Various methods and devices exist with the recent integration of computer technology into the cutting process proving to be a most efficient and effective tool.
One form of computer integration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,267, which discloses a computer controlled method for severing the heads off of fish in an assembly process. A video camera records the image of each fish passing through the process and a processor determines from the recorded video image the optimum cutting path of head removal. The apparatus of the '267 patent is effective for head removal of fish but not very practical for multiple cuts required for meat carcasses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,777 discloses another method for utilizing computer technology. This patent discloses automatic positioning of a saw to produce the most economical cuts on a specific carcass according to a preselected computer solution. The computer control also automatically directs a light or shadow onto the carcass aiding the butcher, thus producing an economical cut.
The prior art fails to address the issue that no two carcasses are identical, and thus fails to understand what is required for optimizing the cut of each uniquely shaped carcass. Also, the prior art described above fails to address the issue of efficient removal of fat from a carcass. Further, the prior art does not provide an apparatus to cut meat accurately in accordance with desired parameters at a speed fast enough for modern production line requirements.